Better Together
by Br00keSc0tt
Summary: What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, right? Wrong. Brooke and Lucas take a trip to Vegas to gamble with their hearts as well as their money. Its BL. You'll love it. If you read, please review.


"When one of your dreams come true, you begin to look at the others more carefully

_"When one of your dreams come true, you begin to look at the others more carefully."_

Brooke Davis rolled over in bed, with the worst headache of her life. The light coming from the window made it too hard to open her eyes. She could hear water running in the distance, possibly a shower? But who would be showering in her bathroom? Maybe Peyton had decided Shiva was over. It still didn't make since why she was in her shower though. She tried to think what she had done the night before to give her this massive headache. She remembered something about a bar, and… ew, Owen? She really needed to shut the blinds so she could inspect the damage. Her body felt waited down as she tried to sit up, eyes still closed avoiding the bright morning sun. She attempted to stand up, only to feel something awkward under her feet. This wasn't her floor, this felt like carpet. Come to think of it, this wasn't her bed either. What the hell was going on? When she finally managed to open her eyes slightly, she spotted a guys Rolex beside a box of condoms on the nightstand beside her. The only guy she knew with a Rolex was… Owen.

**15 hours earlier**

Lucas Scott sat silently by the ticket counter at the Tree Hill airport, twisting his Iphone through his fingers. He needed to get out of town, and he needed to go now. Lucas had a tendency to travel when something was on his mind. He had already decided on Vegas. This was the perfect place to blow all of the money he had saved for him and Lindsay's honeymoon. Now the question was, who would he go with? There was always Haley, but Haley meant Nathan and Jamie, and he wasn't really thinking a "family" oriented trip. Then of course there was Skills, but he was busy with his mystery woman. Peyton was a definite no, since he had just recently blamed all of his problems on her, to her face. Anyway, she always ended up making these things about her, and that really wasn't what he needed. He needed fun, careless drinking, gambling, and someone who wasn't going to make him feel bad about doing all of these things. This spontaneous trip was starting to seem like more trouble than it was worth. As he continued through his list of people, he saw Brooke's picture pop up on his caller ID.

"Hey Brooke" Lucas answered wondering why he hadn't thought of her before. She would be perfect. She was sad, loaded, and the perfect person to get smashed with.

"Hey Luke, Angie's home"

"That's great Brooke. How are you doing?"

"Okay. It hurts, but it's nothing my friend Jack can't fix tonight" Brooke was trying to sound better than she actually felt but wasn't sure how well it was working. Lucas knew better than anyone what it was like to loose someone that you cared for.

"Jack Daniels huh?"

"Yep"

"What if I told you I had a different Jack in mind, and this Jack meant a free trip to Vegas" Lucas said deciding to just put the idea out there for her. He didn't want to pressure her into going if she wasn't up for it, but at the same time he really didn't want to be that guy who drank alone.

"What?"

"Black Jack"

"What are you talking about?" Brooke laughed, wondering if Lucas was already hanging out with their friend "Jack".

"I just, I need to get out for a while. You know?"

"Yea, but Luke you don't really seem like the Vegas type. Don't you want to go climb a mountain and find God or something?"

"Brooke" Lucas sighed, trying to sound serious and pitiful.

"I'm just saying. When was the last time you got wasted and gambled?"

"The other night when I blamed all of my problems on Peyton and gambled our friendship away"

"Good point" Brooke agreed. She still didn't know the full story of what had happened the other night, but from what she had gathered from Lucas and Peyton, it was pretty bad.

"So… are you in?"

"I don't know. I mean…what about work?"

"Brooke. It's your company. Isn't that the point of owning a company so you can take off to get drunk with your pathetic friends?" Lucas was really desperate now. There was no point in going to Vegas alone. He wasn't the type to hire a stripper, and if he couldn't convince Brooke to go he had a feeling he was going to be climbing that mountain.

"That would be so five years ago Brooke"

"I liked 5 years ago Brooke-hey can I call you back?" Lucas hung up the phone before Brooke even had a chance to answer. In the distance he watched a figure walk towards the ticket counter. It was Lindsay. He guessed he should have known she would be here today. It was Thursday, and she always flew back to New York for Friday publishing meetings. Her hair was up, she was wearing sweats, but she still looked beautiful in his eyes. How could he have lost her?

There was about a 10 second lapse before they made eye contact. He probably looked like some kind of a stalker, and maybe subconsciously he was. He'd been taking this same flight with Lindsay for the past two years. He wondered if he should say something, but nothing came to mind other than "So who's the new guy?" He guessed that wasn't going to win her back. He had to think of something smart, and fast. She was getting ready to go through security.

"Lindsay!" Lucas yelled without really thinking. He just knew that he had to say something, even if he hadn't really thought of it yet.

"Lucas, I thought we"

"Before you say anything. I'm leaving for Vegas in an hour and I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry. And that if it's what you want, it'll be strictly business between us now. But if not, you know where I'll be"

"Luke, I don't have time for this now. I have to get through security" Lucas watched as Lindsay gave him the same sad smile she had been giving him since the wedding. Even if they did somehow manage to make this work, he wasn't sure that that would ever go away. Maybe everyone was right, maybe there was just too much damage. But how would be ever know that for sure if he didn't try and fight for her?

After hanging up with Lucas, Brooke decided that she should maybe drag herself out of bed and do something productive. At least Lucas knew that he should go somewhere to get drunk, and not sit at home alone. She walked into the living room to find Peyton lying on the couch staring at the "red folder." She'd been carrying it around for days, being extremely careful that no one else saw it. Brooke honestly didn't really care what it was. She assumed it was something for "Red Bedroom records", but if so why was Peyton so interested in it? And why was it making her cry? Brooke could see the bags under Peyton's eyes just as clearly as everyone could see the bags under her own. It was time that they both got a life.

"Hey P. Sawyer, what's up with that damn red folder? You've been carrying it around for days" Brooke said, just trying to make small talk. She hadn't really talked to Peyton much since the whole Lucas incident, and was hoping to get more out of her about it.

"You can comment on my red folder when I can comment on the bags under your eyes"

"Wow, PMS much? Or should I say ALS?"

"ALS?" Peyton asked, not really finding Brooke's abbreviations amusing. It was more important right now that she finished this book, for the 3rd time. She knew there had to be more to this book than a comet. There just had to be. If their comet love were so important to Lucas, then why would he tell her that he hated her? If their love was supposedly this strong than why couldn't she find anything more about it in the book? She was more than just her car.

"After Lucas Syndrome. Come on Peyton. He was drunk. He didn't mean what he said. Last time I was drunk I told Haley I was having Nathan's baby. I definitely wasn't. But the look on her face was priceless"

"So Lucas said he hated me to see the look on my face?"

"I'm just saying you need to get over it already" Brooke muttered. She wasn't sure why she even bothered. It wasn't like Peyton ever listened to her when she was like this anyway. She just needed to sit at home for about a week and brood it out like she usually did.

"Look who's talking! You're freaking crying over some kid who wasn't even yours. Boo hoo my fake baby went back home to her real mommy"

Brooke was debating whether or not she really wanted to call Peyton on that comment when her phone buzzed with a text message from Lucas reading "Are you in?" Vegas definitely sounded better than her house right now. But could she really leave her best friend to hang out with the guy who broke her? All it took was replaying Peyton's comment over in her head and Brooke had made the decision.

"Whatever Peyton. Look, now that I'm not looking after my fake baby, I think I'm going to take a few days to work on my Macys presentation. If you haven't showered by the time I get back I am officially declaring Shiva for Leyton"

Before Brooke knew it she was on a plane to Nevada. It had become clear to her that Lucas really needed her there, so she didn't feel as bad about dropping everything and flying across the country. Lucas was already somewhat drunk, and she was pretty sure if she heard the name Lindsay one more time she was going to slap him. Although she had to admit, it was pretty entertaining to hear about Lindsay's sex fears and how she refused to join the mile high club with him. Clearly, Brooke's high school corruption on that boy had stuck somewhat. Still, all his complaining was getting on her nerves. Here she was on her way to the same city her ex-boyfriend Owen had just moved, and she wasn't complaining. Apparently after they had broken up, he'd gotten offered a bartending job at some big hotel bar. In a way she was happy for him. He'd told her how he had wanted to live in Vegas one day. But mostly, she just hated him for getting what he wanted meanwhile she was alone.

As she sat there feeling sorry for herself, she glanced over at Lucas who was staring down at some book she knew he was too tipsy to read. It reminded her of his book, and made her wonder how he could stand to read any book ever again since it was after all, a book that had ruined his life in the first place.

"So Luke, who was it really?" Brooke asked, hoping he wouldn't get upset with her for prying. It just bothered her, if he'd written some love story in a book about Peyton, then why was he hurting so much over Lindsay leaving him?

"What?"

"I mean, you say it's Lindsay, and you obviously love her. But why write a book that is so clearly about Peyton"

"Have you read the book?" Lucas asked, leaning back in his seat. Maybe he wasn't as drunk as she thought. He was clearly still feeling pain.

"No, but-"

"Then you don't know…"

"I know that it's about something that pissed Lindsay off pretty bad at you and Peyton" Brooke said, hoping he would explain.

"The book's about growing up. It's about being gone for a while, and coming back to find that everything's changed. Everyone's different. That sort of thing bothers you, ya know? Then you start wishing something would be the same, that something would show you that not everything in your world was different. I came home and Jamie was 4, Nathan couldn't walk, Haley was a teacher, you were, well you. Then there was Peyton. I know it sounds bad but she was exactly the same as when I left her. Sad, lost, no idea what she wanted in life. She even still has the same car from high school. In a weird way that was comforting, so I wrote about it"

"So, it's Lindsay then?"

"It- it's weird that everyone thinks I'm pining over these two girls, yet I'm here in Vegas with you" Lucas smiled a little bit, then went back to his book.

Brooke knew Lucas was a little drunk, and probably didn't mean those last words the way they came out. But she couldn't help but get those strangely familiar butterflies she always got when Lucas said something like that to her. In her mind it was almost like he was saying that she was better than Peyton and even Lindsay, which was all Brooke had ever wanted from Lucas. Even when they were just friends, and even when he was engaged to Peyton a few years back, it always made her feel special that she was the one he called when he needed to talk, and she was the one he always came back too. Even if they were just friends.

Peyton was on the 8th chapter of Lucas' book when she heard the front door slam. Maybe Brooke was home to shred the book for her. She realized that it had become an obsession, but she needed to find the deeper meaning that everyone else seemed to have found when reading it. As she flipped the page she heard Jamie yell for Brooke, and Nathan and Haley's footsteps behind him.

"Hey Peyton, is Brooke here?" Haley asked, walking in before Peyton could hide the book.

"She said something about finishing some sketches. What's up?"

"We were supposed to take her to dinner but I cant get in touch with her"

"I think she's still struggling with Angie being gone. She misses that baby" Peyton sighed, trying to subtly keep the book out of Haley's sight. Lindsay and Haley had been pretty good friends, and she knew that Haley probably somewhat still blamed her for everything that had happened. So it was just better that Haley didn't see her reading the book that ruined her best friends life.

"I can't imagine"

"Mama's gonna have a baby, so Aunt Brooke can play with it"

"What?! Haley that's great!" Peyton was caught off guard by Jamie's impromptu announcement, but happy for Nathan and Haley, and for the distraction it caused.

"Yea, we just found out today"

"Congratulations! You guys that's awesome"

"Yea, we're excited. If you see Brooke, just don't tell her yet? I want to tell her in person, just in case it's hard to hear after Angie leaving" Haley had hoped to tell Brooke and Lucas first, since she planned on asking them to be godparents to this baby as well.

"Yea, of course"

Once officially in Vegas, Brooke and Lucas decided to focus on the most important part of their trip. Drinking. Lucas had gotten them a room at the Bellagio hotel. Brooke was a little surprised by how much Lucas was spending on this trip. After all, he had just been suspended from his coaching job, and it wasn't like his novel was selling like it used to when it was first released. But, Brooke decided to be the fun friend, and let him do whatever he needed to do to heal. After all, when Lucas had first told her he was going to propose to Peyton a few years ago, Brooke had contemplated a careless trip to Vegas herself.

After changing clothes, Brooke followed Lucas down to the bar. She had made the decision that even though she was going to be the "fun" friend who let Lucas heal, she wasn't going to let herself get smashed. She decided that at least one of them needed to be somewhat sober this trip, just to make sure things weren't getting too crazy. This had been her plan from the beginning, at least that was until she caught a glimpse of the bartender.

"Shit" Brooke moaned hoping that Owen hadn't seen her.

"What?"

"You have to be kidding me"

"Isn't that Owen?" Lucas asked, a little confused about what was going on. Then it hit him that Brooke was kind of in the same situation that he was. Owen had left her because of things she really couldn't control, just like Lindsay had left him.

"Of all the places we could have stayed? Really Lucas?"

"I didn't know he worked here"

"He's going to think I'm like stalking him now that Angie is gone" Brooke sighed. How was she supposed to pull this one off? What was she supposed to tell Owen when she asked why she was there. It wasn't like he would believe any of the real story anyway. Owen knew the selfish boy crazy Brooke. Not the Brooke that would drop everything to help Lucas. He had obviously seen her standing there with Lucas, now she just needed to come up with a plan.

"Brooke, what are we doing?" Lucas asked as she drug him across the Hotel to Tiffany & Co.

"Remember that time I pretended to be your fiancé for you"

"You didn't do it for me…"

"Um, I do believe you got pretty drunk off of those free drinks, and I am pretty sure you tried to rape me" Brooke snapped exaggerating the story a little. Lucas didn't understand how important it was that it did not look like she was following Owen or like she wanted him back. She was not that kind of girl. Guys begged for her to come back to them, besides she really didn't want Owen back anyway after what an ass he had been to her. But she needed to make it clear to him that this was the case, and she only knew of one way to do it.

"Yea, and…"

"And, I need him to think I've moved on"

"In a month?" Lucas asked, not really thinking her plan was plausible. Owen wasn't stupid so he would probably know that Brooke and Lucas hadn't gotten engaged in the month he had been gone.

"We move fast in Tree Hill. Come on, I'll just buy a ring, and return it when we're finished"

"Can you return things here?"

"Um, sure? Oooh which one?" Brooke asked eyeing the engagement rings. It was then that Lucas saw the look in Brooke's eyes as she looked at the rings. Maybe she needed this trip just as much as he did. She had been a good sport the whole flight, listening to his whining. He decided that now it was his turn to do something to make her feel better.

"May I help you?" The lady behind the counter asked.

"Lets see"

"You might as well go big, give her this one" Lucas said pointing to the ring that looked the most like Brooke.

"4 carats, princess cut, platinum. Nice choice. Are you going to need a payment plan or-" The sales lady started to ask, but Brooke handed over her credit card before she could finish.

"You can just charge it all now"

"Brooke, you aren't buying your own ring. Even if it is a fake engagement" Lucas whispered, handing the sales lady his card instead. Even if this was all a joke, it still seemed wrong to have Brooke buying an engagement ring. Besides, if anything it made him kind of look like an ass.

"Yes I am, Lucas…"

"We're returning it anyway right? Besides, I'd hate for your mom or someone to track your credit card and find us here"

After buying the ring, Brooke drug Lucas back down to the bar. She knew Owen had spotted them before walking in and now she was ready to show him what moving on meant. He looked so smug standing behind his bar, pouring the drinks with his shiny new Rolex.

"I was wondering when you were going to walk into my bar" Owen smiled before Brooke even had a chance to sit down. He was such as smart-ass who thought that the world revolved around him. How could she have ever liked him?

"Well carrying this rock around all day does make you thirsty"

"I guess this means you managed to get what was under Brooke Davis' clothes"

"Yea I got that in like 10th grade" Lucas half laughed, a little confused. Was it really that hard to get into Brooke's pants these days?

"What he means is, we've been denying our love since 10th grade. We couldn't do it anymore"

"Right"

"What? We have!" Brooke snapped, frustrated that he wasn't buying their story. What was not to believe about a 4,000 engagement ring?

"When I left he was marrying Lindsay but in love with Peyton?"

"He was just hiding behind them"

"Well congratulations then. What made you finally pop the question after all these years?" Owen asked turning to Lucas. This made Brooke nervous. She had to beat him to the answer so he didn't say something stupid.

"Um, well he-" She stuttered trying to think. She hadn't really thought about the answer to this. How would Lucas propose if he had the chance to do it right? Lindsay and Peyton had both ruined the proposals for him, so she really had no idea how to go about answering this question. Obviously, she was going to have to make something up. Owen already doubted them and she was not losing this battle. Just as she started to steal Nathan and Haley's engagement story, Lucas broke in.

"I feel bad. It wasn't anything romantic or planned. One night I was over helping her with Angie, you know the baby you left her because of? Anyway, it was late. Angie had just come home from the hospital so we were both watching her like hawks. We'd been up for like 26 hours straight. I was in the chair, about to pass out and she was standing over Angie's crib singing to her. She's really self-conscious about her singing, but she did it anyway just to try to get her to sleep. I was just so amazed at all she had given up for this little baby that wasn't even hers. All that she had given up for everyone, including me over the years. It just hit me that this was the woman I wanted to be with. This was the woman who I wanted to have my kids with. So, finally after Angie went to sleep and we were downstairs laying on the couch, I asked her"

"You proposed to Brooke Davis without a ring? Brave man"

"I knew she'd want to pick out her own ring" Lucas said, throwing a small smile to Brooke. Not only was she speechless, Brooke was pretty sure she had lost all muscle tone in her cheeks even to smile back. It wasn't that Lucas' story was that spectacular or romantic, it was the fact that it was true. It had all happened less than a week ago, minus of course the proposal. She was starting to get light headed. Had he really thought all of these things? She tried to catch her breath a little, and that is when she spotted Lucas' ring finger. Of course that speech had nothing to do with her. He was still wearing the Lindsay wedding ring.

"I guess it's a good thing we broke up then. Ok everyone lets have a toast for Brooke and Lucas"

"Aren't you gonna kiss your bride, man? I'd make out with her if I were engaged to her" The drunk guy sitting beside Lucas yelled right after the toast.

Brooke and Lucas both looked at each other for a second. By now what alcohol they had had in them from the plane ride had worn off, and they were both starting to realize what they had gotten themselves into. But, it was just for tonight, what could one kiss hurt? I'd probably be weird, but it would be even weirder if they refused to kiss after all of this. Finally after somewhat of a pause, Lucas leaned in, brushed Brooke's hair out of her face, and pressed his lips up against hers.

Brooke hadn't been expecting what happened next. Sure, she heard the drunk tell them to kiss, but she hadn't thought they'd actually do it. But here she was, kissing Lucas Scott. She knew that it was just for show, Lucas was a good sport when it came to these things. But she couldn't stop the same butterflies from the plane, or the same chill that went up her spine every time they touched. He was, after all Lucas Scott. She may not have been the great love of his life, but he _was_ hers. She wasn't sure that that would ever go away, nor would the ache in her heart she got whenever she thought about him with Peyton. Finally, she reluctantly pulled away. This was the moment that any hope of her staying sober ended.

An hour later, while lying to Owen had been fun, his shift was ending. This meant Brooke had to return to reality, which did not include her 4-carat princess cut platinum perfect ring. The walk back to Tiffany's was depressing, and Brooke was doing everything she could to stall. She'd managed to drag Lucas into Coach, Juicy Couture, and Clothes over Bro's: Las Vegas before finally reaching Tiffany's. Luckily for Brooke, connected to Tiffany & Co. was Rolex, and Lucas had a thing for watches.

"How'd you know which ring I'd like?" Brooke asked, admiring the ring on her finger. She couldn't have picked a better ring herself.

"I don't know, I mean I always knew Peyton would want something vintage. Maybe something that was someone's like 100 years ago, Lindsay was more the simple type, 3 small stones kind of girl, and you're big and glitzy"

"It's kind of sad I have to return it"

"Brooke" Lucas began, but Brooke already knew what he was getting at. The ring had to go back. But that didn't mean she wasn't going to miss it.

"I'm going too… that's a nice watch" Brooke said, changing the subject to the Rolex watch Lucas was admiring. Maybe if she dangled shiny boy jewelry in front of him he'd forget about returning the ring.

"Yea, Keith always joked that for my wedding gift he was going to get himself a blue Rolex and give it to me so I'd have something new, something borrowed and something blue"

"Isn't that just for the bride?"

"We decided that it was sexist when I was about 8 and we went to my moms cousins wedding" Lucas laughed

"What about something old?"

"He said that by then he would be the something old"

"You know, if you let me wear the ring for one more day, you could buy the blue Rolex" Brooke smiled, realizing that she was a genius. If she could convince Lucas to buy something he wanted as much as she wanted her ring, it might work to her advantage.

"I'm pretty sure the drinks, hotel, plane tickets and your 4,000 ring wiped out my bank account"

"He wants this blue Rolex" Brooke said handing the salesman her credit card before Lucas had a chance to stop her.

"Brooke"

"This way if I don't return the ring, you have the Rolex. Besides, I'm pretty sure I wont remember how much I spent on this in the morning"

"Why?" Lucas asked, taking the Rolex bag from the salesman.

"Because now, we drink"

Lindsay Strauss laid on the end of her bed, flipping through the contacts in her phone. She always ended back at Lucas. Why couldn't she just call him and admit that she'd lied and that she wasn't seeing anyone. Had she made him suffer enough for his book that she'd made him write? It was late, but she needed to call. They needed to talk things out if there was ever any chance of fixing things between them. After gathering all of her courage, she pressed send on her phone. No answer. He always left his cell phone off when he was in Vegas. Something about no cell phones on vacation. But would it be bad of her to call his hotel room? She guessed he was at the Bellagio since that was where they always stayed when they were in Vegas. After the first time they had gone together Lucas had sworn he'd never stay anywhere else. Maybe it was worth a try? She looked up the number on her phone and got the front desk.

"I need to connect to a room" Lindsay said, trying to control the shaking in her voice.

"Last name?"

"Scott"

"Just a moment… ma'am? Mr. and Mrs. Scott have asked not to be disturbed. Would you like to leave a message?… Ma'am?" The concierge asked, patiently waiting Lindsay's response.

"Mr. and Mrs. Scott? No. I need Lucas Scott's room"

"Yes. Lucas Scott, checked into the honeymoon suite a few hours ago. We have a no connect policy on that room until morning. Would you like to leave a message?"

Brooke Davis rolled over in bed, with the worst headache of her life. The light coming from the window made it too hard to open her eyes. She could hear water running in the distance, possibly a shower? But who would be showering in her bathroom? Maybe Peyton had decided Shiva was over. It still didn't make since why she was in her shower though. She tried to think what she had done the night before to give her this massive headache. She remembered something about a bar, and… ew, Owen? She really needed to shut the blinds so she could inspect the damage. Her body felt waited down as she tried to sit up, eyes still closed avoiding the bright morning sun. She attempted to stand up, only to feel something awkward under her feet. This wasn't her floor, this felt like carpet. Come to think of it, this wasn't her bed either. What the hell was going on? When she finally managed to open her eyes slightly, she spotted a guys Rolex beside a box of condoms on the nightstand beside her. The only guy she knew with a Rolex was… Owen.

She definitely wasn't dressed, so that was a bad sign. But, there was a box of condoms…good sign? She bent down to grab her dress off of the floor, only to have a piece of paper fall to her feet. As she reached down to inspect the paper, she noticed the ring on her finger. Seeing the ring jogged her memory and she at least now knew where she was. But this wasn't her and Lucas' room. Who the hell had she gone to bed with? And why had Lucas let her go? He was such an ass. As she went to slip off the ring, she suddenly felt nauseated. There was another ring on her finger that was definitely not there last night. She desperately looked around the room for some kind of clue about last night. There were the obvious alcohol bottles lying around everywhere. But there were also rose petals, his and her bathrobes, and finally the piece of paper. She leaned down to pick it up, realizing that it was a card. She began to read it as the bathroom door opened.

"Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Scott!?"


End file.
